


It's on Us.

by RioRiley



Series: An idiots guide for coping with the events of Avengers Endgame [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Multi, Post-Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-30 01:46:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19032217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RioRiley/pseuds/RioRiley
Summary: There are a lot of people who blame themselves for Tony's death. And they are all grieving.





	It's on Us.

Tony's memorial happens four days after he dies. It's the hardest four days of Steve's life. He's never felt so purely guilty. He's never felt like worse of a person than he does in that moment, and he's full of regret that won't be able to change a thing. He's full of regret, that he allowed Tony to give up everything he had ever wanted. Tony was finally happy, and Steve certainly had a chance to take his place and snap Thanos' glove. Surely, if he was worthy of Thor's hammer, he would have been able to snap that stupid glove. 

More than anything, he regrets the lack of respect that he showed Tony. He hates that so much of their time spent together they hated each other. He hates knowing it took him until the end of the line to finally grow up and realise what an incredible person Tony was. 

It's three in the morning.

"Buck, do you think Tony knew I didn't hate him?" Steve says at random that night. Tony hasn't even been gone for twelve hours. 

Bucky turns, laying on his left side so that he's facing Steve in their bed.

"I was so tough on him." Steve says, tears betraying his attempt at composure. 

"You helped him see his potential." Bucky says, trying to reason with Steve. 

"By making him think he was the worst person on the planet?" Steve asks, eyes full of tears.

Bucky wraps his arms around Steve, and rubs his back. "Steve, even if he didn't know then, I know he knows now."

.

Clint doesn't get out of bed for two days. It takes everything in him to convince himself to get up, and make his kids breakfast. He numbly killed thousands of people in his lifetime, but after letting Natasha fall for the soul stone, now he feels like a murderer. Nothing close to a hero. He killed her. And that's on him. He'll never forgive himself, no matter how many people tell him that Nat sacrificed herself. No matter how many people tell him not to blame himself, and that that's not what she would have wanted, he is always going to blame himself.

.

Happy escorts Peter back to Aunt Mays house after the fight. He's sobbing uncontrollably and Happy carries him up the stairs, and into the apartment. May is screaming, about how glad she is to see him and how she thought she had lost him forever. She's kissing him and hugging him and holding him and that's when she finally asks him why he's as upset as he is.

He tells her that Tony is gone, and her heart shatters. 

"Like gone, gone, or is he going to come back in five years like you did?" May asks, clarifying. 

Happy shakes his head.

"Pete, he loved you." Happy says, kneeling in front of Peter. "He loved you like his own kid."

"It's my fault!" Peter cries. "There are so many things I could have done differently so that he could have lived!" Peter cries. "What am I supposed to do without him?"

"Pete, Tony wouldn't have done what he did if he didn't know you were going to be okay without him." Happy says.

"I just really miss him." Peter admits.

"I know this hurts so bad right now Peter, but it's going to get better." May says. "He's in a better   
place."

"That's bullshit! The best damn place for him to be is here. With his daughter. And pepper... And me." Peter says, completely and utterly broken.

.

Stephen blames himself. Really, deep down, everyone blames themselves for Tony's death. But Stpehen blames himself the most, he thinks. He blames himself for Tomy dying, but also knows that if it hadn't happened Tony would be the only one dead. They all would have died. Everyone everywhere. There's a part of Stephen, that wonders if that would have been better than having Morgan grow up without having any real chance to know her father.

.

It's funny, Happy thinks, how many people considered Tony to be their best friend. It's a show of Tony's character. How he had this incredible ability to make everyone around him feel loved and important. He had a real gift for loving people. He didn't say those three words a lot, I love you, that is, but he showed it. He showed it in the miniscule upgrades to the team's equipment, to make their lives however slightly easier. He showed it in his research. He showed it as he fought battles. He showed it as he listened to the people he loved and offered them all the advice he could give. He had his own ways of showing it too, that no one will likely ever recognize. In the times he offered to share his food, in the times he chose not to argue. In the times he kept himself safe so he could return to those he loved most. His last dedication of love, came as he sacrificed everything. Not just his beating heart, but the opportunity to raise his daughter, the chance to introduce her to Peter. The chance to spend the rest of his life with Pepper. He gave it all up, so that all the people he loved could live. 

And that's what makes him a hero.


End file.
